“I am listening to people making the case of why I would be a good candidate,” she said. “Also, there is the consideration that right now we have no women in the race.”

The City Council will vote Wednesday on a proposed date of Nov. 19 for the special election which could end up being an epic battle between bitter foes — DeMaio and Fletcher.

The two men sparred early and often throughout the 2012 mayoral primary and the bad blood continued well after Fletcher was knocked out of the race.

City Councilman Kevin Faulconer and county Supervisor Ron Roberts are also eyeing a possible run for mayor.

After losing the mayoral contest last year and finishing his assembly term, Fletcher joined Qualcomm as a senior director of corporate development and teaches a course on government and politics at UC San Diego.

Fletcher said his core values have remained the same throughout his political transformation, but he continues to be dogged by critics who call him a political opportunist who will say and do anything to get elected.

“His biggest hurdle is probably that he started Republican and became a Democrat so you always have to be able to explain that to the voters to a degree,” said Carl Luna, a political-science professor at Mesa College. “He has the advantage in the short special election season that he can run on his personality which is probably his strongest asset.”

Fletcher said, “Political parties change. People change. Those core values and beliefs, those don’t. I’ve always believed every child should have a quality education. People that work hard and play by the rules should have access to economic opportunity. We should preserve and protect our natural resources and environment. But the party that I believe best applies those (principles) does change.”

When asked last year how he would win the mayor’s race, Fletcher often joked: “Get the most votes.”

Asked the same question Tuesday, he had the same response and a reporter pointed out that strategy didn’t work so well last time around.